Process for ornamenting shoes



Jan. 17, 1933. w; FREEMAN 1,894,818

PROCESS FOR ORNAMENTING SHOES Filed March 16, 1929 INVENTOR.

MTTORNEYS Patented Jan. 17, 1933 PATENT OFFICE BENJAMIN W. FREEMAN, F CINCINNATI, OHIO PROCESS FOR ORNAMENTING SHOES Application filed. March 16, 1929. Serial No. 347,736.

My invention relates to processes for marking or indenting shoes and particularly to a novel process for ornamenting cut-out shoes with decorative stitch impressions.

) In the art it has been customary to apply markings to shoes which will serve for guide lines for stitching to be subsequently applied to the shoe part. In cut-out shoes or shoes ornamented with cut-out patterns, apphques or the like, it has also been suggested that a die be provided which, in combination with a cut-out die, will cut out a pattern and at the same time mark the shoe parts with impressions to serve as guide lines for stitching to be subsequently applied. While a combination cut-out and marking die has been used, which will at the same time out out a pattern in a shoe part and mark or indent 1t for stitching to be applied later, the use of such combination dies is severely limited to types of patterns in which it is phys cally possible to arrange stitch marks in suitably close relationship to the parts to be cut out. With the usual type of cut-out die the arrangement of dies for markings or identations suitably close to the cut-out pattern is difiicult.

It has previously been suggested that shoe parts be first marked and then cut out. As

cut out dies are usually made much more accurately than marking dies the gauging of the shoe part for marking has not been accurately done. I contemplate first cutting out the shoe part and then using the accurately cut out parts for positioning the work for subsequent marking either closely ad acent the borders of the cut out parts or in other parts in which the accurate positioning of the out out parts leads to much more accurate marking or indenting.

The problem of applying even and good imitation stitch marking or indenting to the cut-out portions of shoes is a difficult one, N due primarily to the fact that it is extremely diflicult to so position the shoe that the die used for making the imitation stitch impressions will be suitably aligned with the borders of the cut-out parts. If the stitch lines are not very delicately and accurately applied the shoe part is ruined.

It is an object of my invention to provide a method for marking shoes with imitation stitching which consists in so accurately positioning the work'that the imitation stitch marks may be applied, and also which will so indent the leather that'it will defy detection as an imitation of real stitching. 'It is further my object to so bind theparts' of the shoe element together that the necessity of the stitching for holding the plural layers together will 'be obviated. v

A further object is the utilization of the cut out parts of shoe uppers as means for accurately positioning the parts for a subsequent marking or indenting operation, either close to the borders of the cut out parts or in other desired positions in which greater accuracy of positioning is obtained with relation to the cut out portions.

The above and other objects to which refercnce will be made in the ensuing disclosure I accomplish by preparing the shoe parts, positioning them for the marking, indenting or imitation stitch applying step, and then marking, indenting or impressing imitation stitching in a manner which I shall herewith disclose. In the drawing the figure is a perspective View of suitable apparatus for carryin out my process.

hoe elements are ordinarily cut out on fiat bed dies for flat work or on anvils for fitted or partly fitted work. In cut through work on partly or completely fitted uppers the parts are more or less temporarily cemented together before the cutting out operation sufficiently to hold the parts together until stitched around the cut-outs. Since I eliminate the stitching operation about the cut-out portions the cementing or combining of these parts in my process must be permanent. I preferably use cement or adhesive of such a kind as not to be effected and pull apart during the subsequent steps in manufacture or in the wear of the shoe. Usually pressure is desirable to firmly secure the parts together. In the case of flat bed Work the parts are similarly united after the cutting out operation. In the case of cut through work after cementing, I then position the work in a cutout machine and proceed with the ornamental cutting out operation by which a desired pattern is cut out. Then, using the cut-out openings for positioning the work, I bring into engagement with the shoe element a die shaped and arranged in a formation complementary to and which will lie closely adjacent to the edges or borders of the cut-out parts of the pattern.

A cut-out pattern is ordinarily made with a die cutting a defined opening or pattern. In order to provide a positioning plate or guide by means of which work thus cut out may be accurately placed,'I provide a positioning device having a similar arrangement of gauging elements which will fit within the cut-out parts. The dies which mark the shoe with imitation stitching are arranged so as to lie closely adjacent to the outer edges of the gauging or positioning plate, so that the stitch marks, when applied, will not only be accurately positioned, but the impressions may, be made to lie much closer to'the edges of cutout pattern than would 7 be possible to actually stitch. i

The positioning'devices which :Iprefer to employ will be mounted'on a support shaped suitably toprovide backing for the work. Thus, if I stitch mark after the assembly of the shoe, the support may be curved to support the contour of the shoe. The gauging devices which enter the cut-out parts of the pattern will preferably be solid but may be hollowed out and of similar shape as the cutting dies. The function of the gauging devices is to corporate with the indenting dies. In some instances the gauges may be shaped to conform to the indenting die. Where desirable they may be resiliently mounted. The support for the work may also be movable or fixed. The gauges will preferably prevent distortion of the edges of the cut out parts during the indenting operation.

The dies for marking the shoe part will be so made as to impress the work to appear like stitching where such is desired or any other desired markings or indentations. The arrangement of indenting or marking dies may be in a configuration of the same shape but slightly larger than the outline of the cut-out portions when the borders of the cut-out portions are to be ornamented with the imitation stitches. Imitation stitch impressing may be done after the shoe is partly or completely assembled or at any other stage in the process of manufacture. In ornamenting a finished shoe a support bearing the gauging devices is inserted within the shoe and the imitation stitch marking die is then applied around the gauge. Pressure against the imitation stitch marking die or against the work to carry it against the die will cause the impressions to be made in the leather.

In some instances the imitation stitch marking dies may be heated, as this will ordinarily provide a more realistic and pertions open without distortion of the edges, that theiin'itation stitch marking die may be applied to uniformly outline the cut-out portions. The layersforming the shoe element may, however, be stitched at certain portions, and have imitation stitch indentations at other portions and in this casetheir'meeting surfaces need not be coated with cement asin such combinations the stitching may suflic e to hold the layers together without adhesive A am a 9f t u e o id gau f po t on g t e WQ kPr Qn-W th application of, imitation stitching, "II m ay .ut ilize i the ornamenting die asa positioning plate. During such instances the. shoe part is ordinarily cut from the inner surface through the material. Theimitation stitch marking die,

of slightly larger extent thainthe cutting edges of the. cutting die, may then be brought down onto the outer surface of the work, positioned relative to the :upstanding edges of the cutting die, and then pressed against the work to make the desired imitation stitch marking. Thus,-the cut-out die plate may be used as a gaugingv plate without the necessity of stripping the work from the cutter until afterthe stitch marking has been effected.

There are various ways in which the steps of the process may be carried out at desired stages in the process of manufacturing-the shoe, the essential steps of the process consist-ing in the marking of cut-out shoe elements with imitation stitching closely bordering the edges of the cut-out parts, the supporting of the work by gauging means which holds the cut-out portions of the shoe in non distorted positionso that the imitation stitch impressions or other markings can be accurately'applied, and as a modification the use of a heated die so that the impressed portions will be realistic and permanent.

Various methods of aligning the gauging plate. with a die carrying complementary imitation stitch impressing elements or marking devices may be employed, but as a simple process I prefer to move the stitch impressing or marking device toward the workin which the cut-out portions are held on gauges, so mounted as to be properly aligned with the marking or indenting devices, and then causing the work to be marked orindented by pressing the device against the work.

As a specific example of suitable apparatus for carrying out my invention, I have shown in the figure a base 1, having a stud 2 for mounting the plate in a machine of the cutout type, having a plunger which causes the engagement of the work with the ornamenting devices. On the base 1 there is a resiliently mounted plate 3, on which is mounted the solid gauge 4, which, as indicated, registers with a cut out portion of a shoe part.

Hinged on the base is another plate 5, having a ,ytitehpnarking die 6 thereon which is preferably treated with a heating unit 7. When the shoe part, such as is indicated in dotted lines at A, is positioned on the plate 3 with the solid gauge extending within the cut out portion, the plate 5 is moved into a position overlying the work. A pin 8 is shown which registers with an aperture 9 in the solid gauge, thus insuring proper alignment of the stitch marking die 6 with the solid gauge. The presser member of the machine is then actuated, and the borders of the cut out portion of the work are stitch marked with the stitch marks very accurately positioned.

Having thus described my process, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A process for ornamenting a part of a shoe upper having ornamental cut-out openings therein which consists in positioning the part by means of positioning the edges of the openings of the pattern, and supporting such edges, then pressing indenting elements against the outer surface of the uppers to provide imitation stitch markings in the upper closely bordering and outlining the edges of the openings of the pattern.

2. A process for ornamenting a cut-out portion of a part of a shoe upper with imitation stitching, which consists in positioning the cut-out portion on a member of similar size and shape as said cut-out portion to cause the part to assume a position for ornamenting, and then impressing imitation stitch marks in an outline around the support so that the imprints will lie closely adjacent to the borders of the cut-out part.

3. The steps in the process of ornamenting shoes with imitation stitching which consists in cut-ting an ornamental opening in a shoe element from one surface thereof and impressing stitch markings from the other sur face closely adjacent the border edges of the opening, while supporting and using the edges of the opening in the work to position it for the imitation stitch impressing operation.

- 4. The steps in the process of ornamenting shoes with imitation stitching which consist in cutting an opening in a shoe element positioning the edges of the opening and heating and impressing stitch markings closely adjacent the borders of the cut-out opening, while supporting the edges against distortion.

5. The steps in the process of ornamenting shoes with imitation stitching which consist in cutting out an ornamental opening in a shoe element and heating and impressing stitch markings closely adjacent the borders of the cut-out opening, supporting and using the edges of the opening in the Work to position it for the imitation stitch heating and impressing operation.

6. The steps in the process of ornamenting shoes which consist in supporting a shoe element having a cut-out opening and positioning it relative to the borders of the opening so as to support said borders and then applying imitation stitch marking to the supported and positioned element.

7. The steps in the process of ornamenting shoes which consist in supporting a shoe element having a cut-out opening and positioning it relative to the borders of the opening and heating and impressing imitation stitching closely adjacent to the supported border edges of the opening.

8. A process for marking a shoe part having cut-out ornamental openings therein which consists in positioning the border edges of an opening and then marking the shoe part, while holding the portion of the shoe part surrounding the ornamental opening against distortion during the marking operation.

9. In the art of manufacturing a shoe having an ornamental opening therein, the step in positioning a part having such opening for a subsequent operation which consists in supporting and positioning the edges of the opening thereby accurately positioning said edges and other parts of said shoe part removed from said edges, and applying a design to said part while supporting the edges of the cutout.

BENJAMIN W. FREEMAN. 

